I hope everyone had a good Christmas this year!  I was tagged by Wanderlust with the Devaulls for this Christmas post.  You can check out their post here.

I tag these friends to complete the tag:
http://rootswingsandtravelthings.com/
http://beentherewithkids.com/
https://thefourseasonsofus.com/

Christmas is over, but there is still time for posts about it!  Here are the answers to my tag! 

Is September too early for shops to start selling Christmas stuff?
In my opinion, yes it is.  I will not purchase any Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving. 

How far ahead do you start buying Christmas gifts for loved ones?
I buy Christmas gifts year around, especially for the kids.  If they see something specific that they like, I will pick it up without them knowing about it and stash it.  Other than a few small things that I may pick up closer to Christmas, I usually have most of my Christmas gift shopping done a couple months before Christmas.

How organized are you about planning your Christmas?
Truthfully, I’m not organized at all.  If it wasn’t for family gatherings, Christmas would be a Christmas Eve service the night before and gifts on Christmas morning.  I can’t even guarantee a tree each year (I never did get one put up this year).

Do you love or hate Christmas shopping?
I would probably hate it if I had to do it all at once, but since I plan ahead with gifts, I love it.  What I really love though is the joy of the kids getting exactly what they want on Christmas morning.

Do you celebrate any religious aspects of Christmas?
Yes, we go to a Christmas Eve service and then remember Jesus throughout the day on Christmas day.  We do know that December wasn’t the month that Jesus was born, but how can we not remember Jesus in Christmas celebrations. 

Do you prefer to receive lots of little gifts or one big gift?
I prefer to get one big gift that I can actually use over many little gifts that may or may not ever get used and most likely would clutter up an already cluttered house.  Most of the day is spent enjoying watching the kids enjoy what they get anyway and it’s not about the gifts, but about the family coming together to remember Jesus’ birth.

Which do you enjoy the most: giving or receiving presents?
Giving presents.  I love seeing the joy on people’s faces as they get things that they want and love. 

Do you own a Christmas jumper?
Not sure what a Christmas jumper is, but I did actually buy my first Christmas sweater this year. 

Describe your perfect Christmas Dinner.
A nice roast, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese casserole, baked beans, peas and rolls.  I don’t actually eat the roast, but for me it wouldn’t be Christmas without a roast and I do have a couple kids and a husband that love meat, so it won’t go to waste anyway.

Where do you normally eat Christmas Dinner?
My grandmother’s house. 

What’s your favorite Christmas candy?
Not big on candy, but you can’t have Christmas without candy canes and homemade cinnamon candy.

What is your favorite thing about Christmas?
Being together as a family and having my husband home without the stress of him working

What is your least favorite thing about Christmas?
The focus being on gifts rather than Jesus.  For so many, its about how much can I get rather than being appreciative of what is given and forgetting that Jesus came to earth.

Name your top three Christmas songs.
Silent Night, O Holy Night, and Mary Did You Know

Name your top three Christmas films.
The Nativity Story, The Santa Clause, and A Charlie Brown Christmas

If you could time travel back to any Christmas Day from the past, what age would you have been at the time you’d go back to?
I really don’t know.  I don’t have one Christmas that stands out more than any other.  Each one is special and I’d be happy to relive them all.

On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most and one being the least, how much are you looking forward to Christmas this year?
Christmas has passed, however, I would have given the anticipation of going into it at a 7.  I always dread spending the day with my dad as we often argue over things, but this year wasn’t as bad.  We got into one argument over my not eating meat, but I was smart enough to walk away before it was too bad. 

On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most and one being the least, how much are you stressed about Christmas this year?
I wasn’t stressed about Christmas this year.  I was fairly prepared, didn’t have a lot of preparation and didn’t have the stress of going to multiple places in one day.  My husband’s family had a gathering on the 23rd and we went to my family on the 25th.  It was nice not stressing over being in 2 places at once.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give to anybody to help them enjoy Christmas to the max?
Don’t worry about things being perfect, because it’s supposed to be an enjoyable time with family.  It’s not about everything being perfect.  Enjoy the time with family.  You have the rest of the year to worry about everything else.

What time do you go to bed on Christmas eve and what time do you wake up on Christmas morning?
We go to bed at the same time on Christmas Eve as we do any other day.  We wake up somewhere between 7 and 8. The kids however, were up at 4:30 in the morning.

What Christmassy aesthetic do you prefer: traditional & handmade or modern & glitzy?
Traditional and handmade

When do you put up and take down your decorations?
We put Christmas stuff up after Lorianna’s birthday (Dec 4th) and it comes down the day after Christmas.

What’s the true meaning of Christmas to you?
Getting together with family and friends to celebrate Jesus’ birth. 

Do you stay awake to see in the new year?
Sometimes.  If I do go to sleep before Midnight, I can be guaranteed to be woken up by the fireworks being shot off around the neighborhood though.

Do you make any resolutions and if so, how long do you normally keep them for?
Yes I do.  I try to keep them and usually do fairly well for the first 3 months before getting back into old habits and routines.

Now it’s your turn!  Here are the questions for you to copy and paste.  I can’t wait to see everyone’s answers!

1. Is September too early for shops to start selling Christmas stuff?
2. How far ahead do you start buying Christmas gifts for loved ones?
3. How organized are you about planning your Christmas?
4. Do you love or hate Christmas shopping?
5. Do you celebrate any religious aspects of Christmas?
6. Do you prefer to receive lots of little gifts or one big gift?
7. Which do you enjoy the most: giving or receiving presents?
8. Do you own a Christmas jumper?
9. Describe your perfect Christmas Dinner.
10. Where do you normally eat Christmas Dinner?
11. What’s your favorite Christmas candy?
12. What is your favorite thing about Christmas?
13. What is your least favorite thing about Christmas?
14. Name your top three Christmas songs.
15. Name your top three Christmas films.
16. If you could time travel back to any Christmas Day from the past, what age would you have been at the time you’d go back to?
17. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most and one being the least, how much are you looking forward to Christmas this year?
18. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most and one being the least, how much are you stressed about Christmas this year?
19. What’s the best piece of advice you could give to anybody to help them enjoy Christmas to the max?
20. What time do you go to bed on Christmas eve and what time do you wake up on Christmas morning?
21. What Christmassy aesthetic do you prefer: traditional & handmade or modern & glitzy?
22. When do you put up and take down your decorations?
23. What’s the true meaning of Christmas to you?
24. Do you stay awake to see in the new year?
25. Do you make any resolutions and if so, how long do you normally keep them for?

Make sure you check out Wanderlust with the DeVaulls post!